Jessica Parks

Montgomery County is asking residents along the river in Royersford to voluntarily evacuate before Hurricane Sandy hits, Commissioner Josh Shapiro said at a Sunday afternoon news conference.

Residents in other areas, including Pottstown, Mont Clare, Norristown, Conshohocken, Glenside and Whitemarsh should also be prepared to evacuate, Shapiro said. County officials are expecting winds of 45 to 65 mph through Tuesday and several inches of rain that could cause flooding in area that aren't usually prone to it.

A hotline has been set up for non-emergency inquiries -- 610-631-9700. It will go live at 7 pm Sunday.

Residents countywide are urged to stock up for as much as three days of flooding and power outages. Commissioner Leslie Richards said that includes 3 gallons of water per person, nonperishable foods, a manual can opener, flashlights, batteries, first aid kit and medication. Evacuees should bring cash, medicine and important documents if they are able to gather them safely.

Evacuation centers -- family- and pet-friendly -- will be open tonight at Cheltenham, Pottstown and Norristown high schools.

Richards also cautioned about carbon monoxide levels rising with generator use and warned never to use charcoal grills indoors. She said Exelon Corp is conducting extra inspections to ensure security at the Limerick Generating Station.

Finally, residents are urged everyone to obey street closures and be cautious on the roads. Last year, Richards said, a woman died after trying to drive through a flooded street. “It didn’t look like there was deep water there. Her car got stuck. Unfortunately, this woman got out of her car and was swept away.”